IdentificationThis species is classified as a righteye flounder, though it can be right-eyed or left-eyed. Its dorsal and anal fins are large and banded with light (white to orange) and dark bars; the tail fin also has a few dark bars. It is named for the raised, star-shaped (stellate) plates that dot its eyed side and give its skin a rough texture. Its eyed side is greyish, dark brownish, or black, and sometimes blotched, while its blind side is usually white to cream. It can be up to 1 m in length and 9 kg in weight. A video with great footage of this species can be seen on the Hakai Vimeo page.

Habitat & RangeThe starry flounder can often be found near eel-grass beds or under wharves in shallow water, resting on or embedded in soft sea-bottom sediments. It may also be found in tidal flats or in brackish water at river mouths. It is found along coastlines of both sides of the Pacific Ocean, as far south as Korea and Japan in the west Pacific and California in the east Pacific. Its range extends north through the Bering Straight to Alaskan and Canadian coastlines of the Arctic Ocean. It is generally found in shallower inshore waters in the summer, and deeper offshore waters in the winter.

Similar SpeciesThe prominent banding on the dorsal, anal, and tail fins makes this flounder fairly easy to differentiate from other flatfish.

Human UsesWhile not a target for commercial fishermen, the starry flounder is often caught incidentally as bycatch; in such cases it is filleted and sold as "sole." It is also caught by recreational fishermen.